Method and system of tracking an intracorporeal device with mr imaging

ABSTRACT

A system and method for tracking or otherwise determining positioning of an intracorporeal device is provided. The invention includes a device that may be inserted into a subject and tracked based on an imageable tag included with the device. The imageable tag is at least partially formed of a substance whose nuclei precess at a Larmor frequency different than the Larmor frequency of hydrogen when subjected to a polarizing magnetic field. MR data may be acquired from the imageable tag using an RF receiver tuned to the Larmor frequency of the substance and used to track movement of the device within the subject.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of and claims priority of U.S.Ser. No. 11/160,811 filed on Jul. 11, 2005, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to MR imaging and, moreparticularly, to a method and system of imaging devices having animageable tag that includes nuclei that precess at a Larmor frequencydifferent than that of hydrogen when subjected to a polarizing magneticfield.

When a substance such as human tissue is subjected to a uniform magneticfield (polarizing field B₀), the individual magnetic moments of thespins in the tissue attempt to align with this polarizing field, butprecess about it in random order at their characteristic Larmorfrequency. If the substance, or tissue, is subjected to a magnetic field(excitation field B₁) which is in the x-y plane and which is near theLarmor frequency, the net aligned moment, or “longitudinalmagnetization”, M_(Z), may be rotated, or “tipped”, into the x-y planeto produce a net transverse magnetic moment M_(t). A signal is emittedby the excited spins after the excitation signal B₁ is terminated andthis signal may be received and processed to form an image.

When utilizing these signals to produce images, magnetic field gradients(G_(x), G_(y), and G_(z)) are employed. Typically, the region to beimaged is scanned by a sequence of measurement cycles in which thesegradients vary according to the particular localization method beingused. The resulting set of received NMR signals are digitized andprocessed to reconstruct the image using one of many well knownreconstruction techniques.

MR imaging is frequently used for tracking or otherwise determining theposition of an intracorporeal device, such as an endovascular catheter.Hereinafter, the term “intracorporeal device” generally refers to anytype of device that is navigable, moveable, or otherwise insertable inwhole or in part within a body. To properly guide the device, a numberof tracking techniques have been developed. These techniques generallyfall into one of two categories: passive tracking or active tracking.

Passive tracking utilizes signal voids or image artifacts forvisualization of the medical device. Typically, the medical device islabeled with a paramagnetic marker. Paramagnetic markers are commonlyused because the paramagnetic properties of the marker substance shortenits relaxation time. As such, with the appropriate pulse sequenceparameters, a signal will not be collected from the marker resulting ina signal void in a reconstructed image.

Other passive tracking techniques include use of susceptibilityartifacts on metal wires connected to the medical device. In thisregard, the artifacts in a reconstructed image reflect the presence ofthe medical device. In a further passive tracking technique, electricalcurrent is induced in the electrical wires during signal acquisition soas to modify the intensity of the artifacts for improved devicedetectability. Additional passive tracking techniques include use ofintravascular contrast agents or the passing of similar suitable fluidsthrough a lumen. Passive tracking of devices, however, does havedrawbacks.

While passive tracking supports the simultaneous visualization ofendovascular devices and subject physiology, such as blood vessels andsurrounding tissue, the spatial and temporal resolutions are acquisitiondependent and, as a result, the spatial and temporal resolution isinadequate to distinguish the endovascular device from subject anatomy.Further, since the markers used to tag the devices predominantly includehydrogen nuclei, it is difficult to distinguish between subject anatomyand the device with MR imaging of precessing hydrogen.

Active device tracking techniques involve the placement of an RFreceiver coil on the endovascular device or use of a guide wire as alinear receiver coil. In this regard, MR signals are acquired at theendovascular device and may be used to reconstruct tracking images.While active tracking techniques are commonly preferred because of thehigh signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as well as higher spatial and temporalresolution it provides, electrical wires connect the RF receiver coil tothe data acquisition system of the MR scanner. These electrical wiresadd to the complexity of the endovascular device and can be cumbersomewhen inserting and positioning the device in the subject. Additionally,it may not be desirable to have electrically conductive leads extendingfrom a subject undergoing an MR scan.

It would therefore be desirable to have a system and method capable oftracking a wireless intracorporeal device through a subject withoutsacrificing SNR as well as spatial and temporal resolution.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method for imaging, and incertain embodiment tracking, an intracorporeal device or any otherdevice that may be disposed within a subject, which is tagged with animageable marker distinguishable from the subject anatomy or an objectthat overcomes some or all of the aforementioned drawbacks.

A system and method for tracking or otherwise determining positioning ofan intracorporeal device is provided. The invention includes a devicethat may be inserted into a subject and tracked based on an imageabletag included with the device. The imageable tag is at least partiallyformed of a substance whose nuclei precess at a Larmor frequencydifferent than the Larmor frequency of hydrogen when subjected to apolarizing magnetic field. MR data may be acquired from the imageabletag using an RF receiver tuned to the Larmor frequency of the substanceand used to track movement of the device within the subject.

Therefore, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, amethod of MR imaging is provided. The method includes impressing apolarizing magnetic field on a region-of-interest (ROI) having a devicedisposed therein. The device includes an imageable tag formed of atleast a substance distinguishably present in the ROI and that precessesat a first Larmor frequency when subjected to the polarizing magneticfield. The method further includes subjecting the ROI to an excitationfield at the first Larmor frequency and acquiring MR data from the ROIwith a receiver tuned to the first Larmor frequency. The method alsoincludes the step determining a position of the device within the ROIfrom the MR data.

In accordance with another aspect, the present invention includes an MRIapparatus having a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system that has aplurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet toimpress a polarizing magnetic field. The MRI system also has an RFtransceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module totransmit RF signals to an RF coil assembly to acquire MR images fromprecessing hydrogen nuclei in an ROI. The MRI system further includes acomputer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computerprogram comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer,cause the computer to cause excitation of hydrogen nuclei in the ROI.The computer is further caused to cause excitation of nuclei of at leasta hydrogen-absent substance having been introduced to the ROI. Nuclei ofthe hydrogen-absent substance precess at a Larmor frequency differentthan that of hydrogen nuclei. The computer is also caused to acquire MRdata from at least the ROI and reconstruct an image of the ROI thatincludes contrast between the substance and other structures within theROI.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of MRimaging includes inserting a medical device into a subject. The medicaldevice includes an imageable tag that precesses at a Larmor frequencydifferent than that of hydrogen. The method further includes excitingthe subject with a B₁ field at the Larmor frequency of hydrogen andacquiring MR data from at least nuclei in the subject precessing at theLarmor frequency of hydrogen. The method also includes reconstructingtracking images showing movement of the medical device within thesubject.

In accordance with a further aspect, the present invention includes amedical device insertable into a subject. The device has a body and atleast one sealed chamber connected to the body. An imageable substanceincluding non-hydrogen nuclei is disposed in the at least one sealedchamber.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a medicaldevice insertable into a subject is provided. The medical device has abody and one or more cavities formed in at least a portion of an outersurface of the tubular body. An imageable substance predominantly devoidof hydrogen at least partially fills the one or more cavities.

In accordance with yet a further aspect, a method of MR imaging includesplacing a fluorinated substance into a restricted portion of a subject.A medical device is inserted into the restricted portion. The medicaldevice is constructed substantially free of the fluorinated substanceplaced in the restricted portion. MR data is acquired from therestricted portion with a receiver coil at least tuned to acquire RFsignals at the Larmor frequency of the fluorinated substance. The methodfurther includes reconstructing an image of the restricted portion fromthe MR data and determining relative positioning of the medical devicewithin the intracorporeal cavity from the image.

According to yet another aspect, the present invention includes anavigable MR imaging device constructed of a substance to precess at aLarmor frequency of approximately 60 MHz when subjected to anapproximately 1.5 T substantially uniform magnetic field.

In accordance with yet a further aspect, the present invention includesan imaging technique having means for impressing a substantially uniformmagnetic field about a subject to be imaged and means for translating anavigable device within the subject. The navigable device is constructedto have a detectable tag comprised of a substance whose nuclei precessat a Larmor frequency other than that of hydrogen nuclei. The imagingtechnique further has means for exciting nuclei of the substance toprecess at the Larmor frequency other than that of hydrogen nuclei andmeans for acquiring MR data from nuclei precessing at the Larmorfrequency other than that of hydrogen nuclei. Means for activelytracking displacement of the navigable device within the subject is alsoprovided.

Various other features, objects, and advantages of the present inventionwill be made apparent from the following detailed description and thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate one preferred embodiment presently contemplatedfor carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an MR imaging system for use withthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an intracorporeal device according toone embodiment of the invention usable with an MR imaging system.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of an intracorporeal deviceaccording to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an end view of an intracorporeal device according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of an intracorporeal deviceaccording to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, the major components of a preferred magneticresonance imaging (MRI) system 10 incorporating the present inventionare shown. The operation of the system is controlled from an operatorconsole 12 which includes a keyboard or other input device 13, a controlpanel 14, and a display screen 16. The console 12 communicates through alink 18 with a computer system 20 that enables an operator to controlthe production and display of images on the display screen 16. Thecomputer system 20 includes a number of modules which communicate witheach other through a backplane 20 a. These include an image processormodule 22, a CPU module 24 and a memory module 26, known in the art as aframe buffer for storing image data arrays. The computer system 20 islinked to disk storage 28 and tape drive 30 for storage of image dataand programs, and communicates with a system controller 32 through ahigh speed serial link 34. The input device 13 can include a mouse,joystick, keyboard, track ball, touch activated screen, light wand,voice control, or any similar or equivalent input device, and may beused for interactive geometry prescription.

The system controller 32 includes a set of modules connected together bya backplane 32 a. These include a CPU module 36 and a pulse generatormodule 38 which connects to the operator console 12 through a seriallink 40. It is through link 40 that the system controller 32 receivescommands from the operator to indicate the scan sequence that is to beperformed. The pulse generator module 38 programmed to operate thesystem components to carry out the desired scan sequence and producesdata which indicates the timing, strength and shape of the RF pulsesproduced, and the timing and length of the data acquisition window forprecessing non-hydrogen nuclei and imaging devices having a substancedistinguishably present in a region of interest as discussed herein. Thepulse generator module 38 connects to a set of gradient amplifiers 42,to indicate the timing and shape of the gradient pulses that areproduced during the scan. The pulse generator module 38 can also receivepatient data from a physiological acquisition controller 44 thatreceives signals from a number of different sensors connected to thepatient, such as ECG signals from electrodes attached to the patient.And finally, the pulse generator module 38 connects to a scan roominterface circuit 46 which receives signals from various sensorsassociated with the condition of the patient and the magnet system. Itis also through the scan room interface circuit 46 that a patientpositioning system 48 receives commands to move the patient to thedesired position for the scan.

The gradient waveforms produced by the pulse generator module 38 areapplied to the gradient amplifier system 42 having G_(x), G_(y), andG_(z) amplifiers. Each gradient amplifier excites a correspondingphysical gradient coil in a gradient coil assembly generally designated50 to produce the magnetic field gradients used for spatially encodingacquired signals. The gradient coil assembly 50 forms part of a magnetassembly 52 which includes a polarizing magnet 54 and a whole-body RFcoil 56. A transceiver module 58 in the system controller 32 producespulses which are amplified by an RF amplifier 60 and coupled to the RFcoil 56 by a transmit/receive switch 62. The resulting signals emittedby the excited nuclei in the patient may be sensed by the same RF coil56 and coupled through the transmit/receive switch 62 to a preamplifier64. The amplified MR signals are demodulated, filtered, and digitized inthe receiver section of the transceiver 58. The transmit/receive switch62 is controlled by a signal from the pulse generator module 38 toelectrically connect the RF amplifier 60 to the coil 56 during thetransmit mode and to connect the preamplifier 64 to the coil 56 duringthe receive mode. The transmit/receive switch 62 can also enable aseparate RF coil (for example, a surface coil) to be used in either atransmit or receive mode. The system may further include an optional RFtracking channel 65 configured for precessing non-hydrogen nuclei and apatient isolation module 63 for isolating image data for the sight ofinterest from that of the device as described herein.

The MR signals picked up by the RF coil 56 are digitized by thetransceiver module 58 and transferred to a memory module 66 in thesystem controller 32. A scan is complete when an array of raw k-spacedata has been acquired in the memory module 66. This raw k-space data isrearranged into separate k-space data arrays for each image to bereconstructed, and each of these is input to an array processor 68 whichoperates to Fourier transform the data into an array of image data. Thisimage data is conveyed through the serial link 34 to the computer system20 where it is stored in memory, such as disk storage 28. In response tocommands received from the operator console 12, this image data may bearchived in long term storage, such as on the tape drive 30, or it maybe further processed by the image processor 22 and conveyed to theoperator console 12 and presented on the display 16. The image processor22 may further be adapted, e.g., with software, hardware, or acombination thereof, to overlay a reconstructed image of the device fromMR data over a reconstructed image of the sight of interest.

As will be described more fully below, RF coil 56 may be tuned to pickup MR signals at more than one frequency. For instance, the coil 56 maybe tuned to pick up MR signals precessing at the Larmor frequency ofhydrogen nuclei as well as the Larmor frequency of non-hydrogen nuclei,such as carbon, fluorine, sodium, phosphorus, and oxygen. Moreover, thecoil 56, in one embodiment, may be constructed to pick up signals fromprecessing hydrogen nuclei and a precessing given non-hydrogen nucleisimultaneously. In a further embodiment, the RF coil may be constructedto have a reception bandwidth that includes the precessing frequency ofhydrogen nuclei and a given non-hydrogen nuclei. The precessingfrequency is, in part, a function of the strength of the polarizingmagnetic field to which the nuclei are subjected. As such, the RF coilis tuned to the appropriate precessing frequencies depending uponwhether the MR scanner is designed to impress a substantially uniform1.5 Tesla magnetic field or other field strength. Additionally, the MRscanner may be constructed to have more than one RF coil for MR signalreception. In this embodiment, one RF coil is tuned to receive MR signalfrom precessing hydrogen nuclei whereas another RF coil is tuned toreceive MR signals from precessing non-hydrogen nuclei, such asfluorine, sodium, carbon, phosphorus, oxygen, heavy water, and the like.The Larmor frequency of hydrogen nuclei in a 1.5 Tesla magnetic field isabout 63.5 MHz and the Larmor frequency of fluorine in the same magneticfield is about 60.08 MHz.

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to the acquisitionof MR signals from precessing non-hydrogen nuclei. In anotherembodiment, the present invention is directed to the simultaneous ornear simultaneous acquisition of MR signals from precessing hydrogennuclei and precessing non-hydrogen nuclei. In this regard, the MRscanner is capable of creating a B₁ field at the Larmor frequency ofhydrogen as well as at the Larmor frequency of a given non-hydrogennuclei, such as fluorine, sodium, carbon, phosphorus, and oxygen.Generally, nuclei with an atomic number less than twenty may be targetedfor signal acquisition. In addition to non-hydrogen nuclei, it iscontemplated that enriched hydrogen compounds, such as deuteriumenriched water (heavy water), and compounds having hyperpolarizedhydrogen (hyperpolarized water) may also be targeted for signalacquisition.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an endovascular catheter 70 is shown inperspective. While the invention will be described with respect to aballoon dilatation catheter, one skilled in the art will readilyappreciate that the present invention is applicable with otherintracorporeal devices, such as general purpose and special purposecatheters, biopsy needles, laparoscopes, endoscopes, and other surgicaltools, stents, shunts, and other implantable devices, pills, particles,liquids, gases, and other injectable, ingestible, or inhale-able agents,as well as non-intracorporeal devices, and is thus not limited thereto.Catheter 70 has a shaft section 72 with a balloon section 74 generallydisposed near its distal end 76. Shaft section 72 is connected orotherwise integrally formed with the proximal end 78 of balloon section74. A distal waist section 80 is connected or otherwise formed between adistal end 82 of the balloon section 74 and the distal end 76 of thecatheter 70.

The lumen or bore of the catheter 70 is designed to allow the passage offluid or other inflating solution from a fluid source (not shown)connected to a proximal end 84 to the balloon section 74. A pump orother inflation device (not shown) may also be connected to the catheterto control the inflation and deflation of balloon section 74. Thecatheter, which may be widely used in angiographic procedures, may alsobe used to position an endovascular RF coil within proximity of a targettissue or in the vasculature for blood imaging. In this regard, an RFcoil may be translated through the catheter once the catheter has beenproperly positioned within the vasculature. The advantages of which willbe described in greater detail below, the RF coil is translated throughthe catheter after the catheter has been positioned and, as such, the RFcoil assembly does not restrict movement or hinder positioning of thecatheter during translation through the subject.

Visualization of catheter 70 is achieved by determining the position ofthe catheter 70 in relation to the ROI through MR imaging of thesubject. Tracking is similarly achieved through sequential generation ofMR images, which assists the physician or other health care professionalin translating the catheter through the subject vasculature or otheranatomy. To provide contrast between the catheter and the subjectanatomy, in one embodiment, a pump (not shown) delivers a compound orother substance to the catheter that is distinguishably present in thesubject anatomy, e.g., because the compound is not prevalently found, isminimally present, or is otherwise present in distinguishableconcentrations or forms in the subject anatomy or in the particular ROI,e.g., fluorine or fluorinated compounds, or any other applicablenon-hydrogen nuclei substances. In this regard, the MR scanner caneither carry out a hydrogen-based MR scan whereupon MR signals areacquired from precessing hydrogen nuclei, or carry out an MR scanwhereupon precessing non-hydrogen nuclei are the subject of signalacquisition. Hydrogen is typically the nuclei from which MR signals areacquired because of its abundance in the subject anatomy. Fluorine, onthe other hand, is distinguishable from the subject anatomy since it isminimally found in the subject anatomy and is particularly limited tobones and teeth. Moreover, in its crystal form, fluorine is immobile andtherefore has a relaxation time that is too short to be readilydetectable when using imaging methods sensitive to freely mobile liquidforms of fluorinated compounds, such as hexafluorobenzene. Accordingly,when the catheter is at least partially filled with fluorine or afluorinated compound, the low level (or non-existent) fluorinebackground signal allows for improved visualization of thefluorine-filled catheter in a reconstructed image constructed from MRdata acquired from precessing fluorine nuclei. As a result, the fluorinelabeled intracorporeal device may be detected with higher spatial andtemporal resolution, such as spatial resolution less than 0.5millimeters (mm) and temporal resolution less than 0.1 second.Experimentally, crisp images of a 1.5 F catheter (less than 0.5 mm indiameter) filled with fluorinated fluid have been generated.

It is contemplated that a number of fluorinated fluids may be deliveredto the catheter to label the catheter. As mentioned above,hexafluorobenzene is one such compound that may be used. Perfluorocarbonis another contemplated compound. Known perfluorocarbon solutionscontain approximately ten to twenty fluorine moieties per molecule andare devoid of hydrogen, thus making perfluorocarbon labeled deviceshighly visible with fluorine tuned RF receivers or coils.Perfluorocarbon is widely regarded as a synthetic substitute for bloodand, as such, can provide information about local blood flow, oxygenlevels and temperature. That is, changes in fluorine T₁ and T₂relaxation times vary directly with oxygen tension. These relaxationtimes are generally shorter at higher oxygen levels in the physiologicalrange. Temperature also affects the relaxation times ofperfluorocarbons. Rising temperatures will increase the T₁ relaxationtime and decrease the T₂ relaxation time.

Alternative compounds, such as those containing sodium, may also beused. Sodium beneficially precesses at a frequency of about half toone-third that of hydrogen, which provides an improved signal to noiseratio. Precessing sodium also produces a distinguishable signal fromhydrogen and is relatively non-toxic.

As described above, a fluorinated fluid may be delivered to and throughthe lumen of the intracorporeal device and used to label the device forsubsequent visualization in a reconstructed image. If MR signals areacquired from precessing fluorine, then the device will appear stark inthe image and if MR signals are acquired from precessing hydrogen, thedevice will appear as a signal void in the reconstructed image. It iscontemplated however that the device may be tagged in other ways. Forexample and referring to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view of the generallydistal end of catheter 70 according to another embodiment of theinvention is shown. In this embodiment, a sealed cylinder 86 having afluorinated compound 87 therein is shown circumferentially around distalwaist section 80. Cylinder 86 may be permanently secured to waistsection 80 or resiliently secured to allow replacement with othercylinders having other non- or limited hydrogen contents or differentdegrees of fluorine. While a cylinder 86 that is snuggly secured to thecatheter is shown, it is contemplated that other sealed fluorinatedstructures may be connected or otherwise formed with the catheter. It isrecognized that cylinder 86 should be secured to the catheter in such afashion so as to prevent disconnection of the cylinder from the catheterduring translation of the catheter in the subject. Relatively non-toxiccompounds containing, e.g., sodium nuclei, may also be incorporated intothe device without the need for a sealed structure, e.g., with a coatingcontaining the applicable substance.

As mentioned above, cylinder 86 is a sealed structure containing afluorinated compound or other solution 87. Similar to flooding the lumenwith such a solution, the catheter labeled with cylinder 86 may bereadily visualized with either fluorine based or hydrogen based scan. Itis also contemplated that more than one sealed structure may beconnected or otherwise integrated with the catheter so that movement ortranslation of more than one portion of the catheter may be tracked.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an end view of the device shown in FIG. 3illustrates the concentric relationship between the distal waist section80 and the sealed cylinder 86. Further illustrated in FIG. 4 is thehollowed nature of the catheter components except for the sealedcylinder 86 which is filled with a fluorinated compound or othernon-hydrogen or minimally hydrogen-containing substance. It should benoted that the relative size of the sealed cylinder 86 compared to thatof the structural elements of the catheter is for illustrative purposesonly and that it is contemplated that cylinders with larger or smallerdiameters may be used.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional view of the generally distalend of catheter 70 in another embodiment illustrates that the distalwaist 80 may be constructed with a porous surface 88. The pores of theporous surface may then be at least partially filled with a fluorinatedsolution 90 and sealed within the pores with a non-soluble sealant orcoating 92.

Heretofore the present invention has been described with respect to thedirect labeling of an intracorporeal device with a fluorinated fluid.However, the present invention is also directed to the indirect labelingof such a device. In this embodiment, a cavity within a subject may beat least partially filled with a fluorinated fluid, such asperfluorocarbon. As a result, when a standard intracorporeal device,devoid of or minimally containing fluorine or another non-hydrogenelement, is placed within the cavity, the device will appear as aconspicuous signal void in the reconstructed image of MR data acquiredfrom precessing fluorine or other non-hydrogen nuclei. Conversely, withthe acquisition of MR data from precessing hydrogen nuclei, the devicewould be detectable on a background devoid of signal.

As referenced above, the SNR of a fluorine label is very high whenacquiring MR signals from precessing fluorine nuclei. As such, thefluorine label can be rapidly localized three-dimensionally. Further,the coordinates of the fluorine label can be used to orientate theimaging plane to the medical device to support improved imaging of thedevice and the surrounding physiology.

Additionally, the present invention is also directed to the sequentialas well as essentially simultaneous acquisition of MR signals fromprecessing fluorine nuclei and hydrogen nuclei. In this regard, separateimages may be constructed and then superimposed over one another on asingle display. As a result, the precessing hydrogen nuclei provideresolution of the subject anatomy and the precessing fluorine nucleiprovide resolution of the intracorporeal device.

Heretofore the present invention has been described with respect to theacquisition of MR signals from precessing fluorine nuclei in addition tothe acquisition of MR signals from precessing hydrogen nuclei. However,one skilled in the art will appreciate that other non-hydrogen nucleimay be targeted. For example, in addition to fluorine, isotopes ofcarbon, sodium, phosphorus, and oxygen nuclei may be targeted. Inaddition, noble gases may be added to the device tag to alter therelaxation times of the tag. In this regard, different labels of thesame base content but with varying degrees of noble gases may be used todifferentiate between labels and/or devices.

The present invention provides a device tracking method and system thatprovides spatial and temporal resolution on par with that heretoforeachieved only with active tracking techniques, but avoids the electricalleads typically required of an active tracking coil. In this regard, thepresent invention provides for a wireless intracorporeal device andwireless tracking method that allows the device to be automaticallydetected by its relatively high conspicuity with fluorine or othernon-hydrogen imaging. Moreover, the present invention may be used toorient standard proton imaging planes to visualize surrounding tissue.

A method of MR imaging is provided. The method includes impressing apolarizing magnetic field on a region-of-interest (ROI) having anintracorporeal device disposed therein. The intracorporeal deviceincludes an imageable tag formed of at least a substance minimallypresent in the ROI and that precesses at a first Larmor frequency whensubjected to the polarizing magnetic field. The method further includessubjecting the ROI to an excitation field at the first Larmor frequencyand repeatedly acquiring MR data from the ROI with a receiver tuned tothe first Larmor frequency. The method also includes the step oftracking movement of the intracorporeal device within the ROI from theMR data.

The present invention also includes an MRI apparatus having a magneticresonance imaging (MRI) system that has a plurality of gradient coilspositioned about a bore of a magnet to impress a polarizing magneticfield. The MRI system also has an RF transceiver system and an RF switchcontrolled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF coilassembly to acquire MR images from precessing hydrogen nuclei in an ROI.The MRI system further includes a computer readable storage mediumhaving stored thereon a computer program comprising instructions, whichwhen executed by a computer, cause the computer to cause excitation ofhydrogen nuclei in the ROI. The computer is further caused to causeexcitation of nuclei of at least a hydrogen-absent substance having beenintroduced to the ROI. Nuclei of the hydrogen-absent substance precessat a Larmor frequency different than that of hydrogen nuclei. Thecomputer is also caused to acquire MR data from at least the ROI andreconstruct an image of the ROI that includes contrast between thesubstance and other structures within the ROI.

A method of MR imaging is disclosed and includes inserting a medicaldevice into a subject. The medical device includes an imageable tag thatprecesses at a Larmor frequency different than that of hydrogen. Themethod further includes exciting the subject with a B₁ field at theLarmor frequency of hydrogen and acquiring MR data from at least nucleiin the subject precessing at the Larmor frequency of hydrogen. Themethod also includes repeatedly reconstructing tracking images showingmovement of the medical device within the subject.

The present invention also includes a medical device insertable into asubject. The device has an encapsulated body and at least one sealedchamber connected to the tubular body. An imageable substance includingnon-hydrogen nuclei is disposed in the at least one sealed chamber.

A medical device insertable into a subject is provided. The medicaldevice has a body and one or more cavities formed in at least a portionof an outer surface of the tubular body. An imageable substancepredominantly devoid of hydrogen at least partially fills the one ormore cavities.

A method of MR imaging is disclosed and includes placing a fluorinatedsubstance into a restricted portion of a subject. A medical device isinserted into the restricted portion. The medical device is constructedsubstantially free of the fluorinated substance placed in the restrictedportion. MR data is acquired from the restricted portion with a receivercoil at least tuned to acquire RF signals at the Larmor frequency of thefluorinated substance. The method further includes reconstructing animage of the restricted portion from the MR data and determiningrelative positioning of the medical device within the intracorporealcavity from the image.

The present invention is further directed to a navigable MR imagingdevice constructed of a substance to precess at a Larmor frequency ofapproximately 60 MHz when subjected to an approximately 1.5 Tsubstantially uniform magnetic field.

An imaging technique is provided and is defined as having means forimpressing a substantially uniform magnetic field about a subject to beimaged and means for translating a navigable device within the subject.The navigable device is constructed to have a detectable tag comprisedof a substance whose nuclei precess at a Larmor frequency other thanthat of hydrogen nuclei. The imaging technique further has means forexciting nuclei of the substance to precess at the Larmor frequencyother than that of hydrogen nuclei and means for acquiring MR data fromnuclei precessing at the Larmor frequency other than that of hydrogennuclei. Means for actively tracking displacement of the navigable devicewithin the subject is also provided.

The present invention has been described in terms of the preferredembodiment, and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, andmodifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible andwithin the scope of the appending claims.

1. A medical device insertable into a subject, the device comprising: a body; at least one sealed chamber connected to the body; and an imageable substance predominantly including non-hydrogen nuclei disposed in the at least one sealed chamber, wherein the imageable substance comprises nuclei of a noble gas to alter relaxation time of the non-hydrogen nuclei.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the imageable substance has an atomic number less than twenty.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the imageable substance comprises one of sodium, fluorine, heavy water, phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the imageable substance comprises one of perfluorocarbon and hexafluorobenzene.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the imageable substance has 10-20 fluorine moieties per molecule.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a catheter.
 7. A medical device insertable into a subject comprising: a body; one or more cavities formed in at least a portion of an outer surface of the body; and an imageable substance predominantly devoid of hydrogen at least partially filling the one or more cavities, wherein the imageable substance comprises nuclei of a noble gas to alter relaxation time.
 8. The device of claim 7 wherein the body is porous to absorb the imageable substance and further comprising a non-soluble coating secured to the body to seal the imageable substance within the one or more cavities.
 9. The device of claim 7 wherein the imageable substance is fluorine-based.
 10. The device of claim 9 wherein the imageable substance comprises one of perfluorocarbon and hexafluorobenzene.
 11. The device of claim 7 wherein the imageable substance comprises one of sodium, fluorine, phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon.
 12. The device of claim 7 wherein the imageable substance has 10-20 fluorine moieties per molecule.
 13. A navigable MR imaging device constructed of a substance to precess at a Larmor frequency of approximately 60 MHz when subjected to an approximately 1.5 T substantially uniform magnetic field, wherein the substance further comprises nuclei of a noble gas.
 14. The navigable MR imaging device of claim 13 further comprising: a body; one or more cavities formed in at least a portion of an outer surface of the body; and wherein the substance at least partially fills the one or more cavities.
 15. The navigable MR imaging device of claim 14 wherein the body is porous to absorb the substance and further comprising a non-soluble coating secured to the body to seal the substance within the one or more cavities.
 16. The navigable MR imaging device of claim 14 wherein the substance is fluorine-based.
 17. The navigable MR imaging device of claim 16 wherein the substance comprises one of perfluorocarbon and hexafluorobenzene.
 18. The navigable MR imaging device of claim 14 wherein the body comprises a catheter.
 19. The navigable MR imaging device of claim 13 wherein the substance comprises one of sodium, fluorine, phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon.
 20. The navigable MR imaging device of claim 13 wherein the substance has 10-20 fluorine moieties per molecule. 